Researchers from Auxilium Biotechnologies, an American biotechnology company, have successfully bio-printed living kidney and liver tissues in space as part of the AXLM-3 project aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This achievement, announced on July 9, 2026, marks the first time such complex living tissues have been created using a single autonomous device during a space mission. The experiment is a step toward developing the capability to manufacture biomedical products in orbit, reducing reliance on Earth-based supply chains. The experiment used the AMP-1 orbital bio-printer, a versatile machine capable of producing a wide range of medical products, including soft tissues like kidney and liver tissues, structural tissues such as cartilage, and even synthetic implants for nerve repair. The printer uses interchangeable cartridges filled with a material called polyethylene glycol (PEG), which allows it to switch between different types of printing with ease. These cartridges are lightweight, potentially reducing the cost of transporting materials to space. Each printing session requires minimal human input, making the device efficient and cost-effective in the resource-intensive environment of space. During the AXLM-3 mission, the AMP-1 printer created a variety of tissues and implants in a single space flight, including soft tissues, cartilage, and 28 nerve repair implants. This represents a significant leap from previous space-based bio-printing efforts, which were typically limited to a single type of printing per mission. The uniform distribution of cells achieved in microgravity suggests that manufacturing medical devices and tissues in space could be more precise and efficient than on Earth. Anthony Atal, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and a partner of Auxilium Biotechnologies, emphasized that the successful bio-printing of living liver and kidney tissues in space is a major milestone for regenerative medicine. While the immediate goal is not to produce full organs, the focus is on creating functional miniature organs, or organoids, which can be used to study diseases and test new drugs. In the future, this technology could lead to the establishment of commercial biomedical laboratories in space. Auxilium is already collaborating with private space station projects like Vast and Starlab, which aim to replace the ISS in the 2030s, though these plans remain under development.